The Eternal Flame
More poetry? Haha why not!
After spending some time with my 2 year old, and thinking of my own relationship with my dad, I was inspired to write a bit more poetry. She does make me think quite a bit.
The Eternal Flame
When I was close to death, He himself came,
And whispered “Did you keep the eternal flame?”
I responded, I didn’t know what he meant
So he came at it from a different bent.
“Did you make a child laugh
And share with them your ice cream half,
Did you make them feel you cared
And a love for them that you both shared.
Or did you teach your child to hate
To each thing they felt, ungrate-
— ful, Carrying a dreaded load
Of loathing, fear, a heavy debt owed
For you are a candle, and your fire
Burns until your wick expires
But you can keep the eternal flame
Unless you play a different game
A game where only you can win
And everyone else only acts in sin
They are simply there to help you burn
And must wait and wait to take their turn
But when your candle flickers out
Those candles you left filled with doubt
Might wonder if it’s all the same
If they don’t pass their eternal flame
For why begin the cycle anew
When their joys in life seemed so few?
Better to burn fast and let it end
The eternal flame, they shall not tend.”
And so death waited for my reply
But all I could think was… did I?
Did I keep the eternal flame?
Or had I simply played my own selfish game?
